As a part of the retail and manufacturing process, many bicycles are assembled at a separate location from that of their sale. Therefore, bicycles are often manufactured, assembled, and tested at one point and then transported to the retail establishment for sale.
It is advantageous to the seller for the transport to be inexpensive and result in the least damage to the merchandise.
Previous methods have cut down on expense and damage by disassembling the bicycle to various extents in order to transport it in a smaller volume package, typically a box. This allows for the transport of the largest number of bicycles in the smallest volume. Wrapping and other types of protective materials are often used to reduce any damage that may occur during transport by the disassembled bicycle parts coming in contact. Of particular interest is to keep the paint from being scratched.
Although, this allows for inexpensive transport, it requires that the bicycles must be assembled by a technically trained employee when they reach the retail establishment. The seller must employ a skilled person to reassemble the bicycles which can increase expense significantly. Alternatively, the seller can hire a skilled outside contractor to assemble the bicycle, again increasing the expense. In addition, most contractors are minimally trained to assemble and repair bicycles. Often they are trained to assemble very different types of merchandise, such as barbecue ranges, and are prone to assembling the bicycles improperly, leading to product returns and liability claims.
Typically, bicycles are shipped in boxes with the saddle, the handlebars, the front and wheel, and both pedals removed. The various bicycle parts are wrapped in protective material, such as foam and plastic, and placed separately in the box. A variety of other components, including the pedals, reflectors, kickstand etc. are placed in a smaller accessory box within the box. When the box reaches the retail store, the parts are removed from the box and reassembled. This leads to a number of possible problems. The parts can be lost when they are removed, the wrapping materials must be removed and disposed of. Lastly, the process of reassembly can be more complicated than it first appears.
Incorrect assembly can result in damage to the bicycle or consumer dissatisfaction, resulting in the merchandise being returned. Typically, the pedals are attached to the bike by screwing them into a threaded opening in the bicycle crank arm. Insertion of the right pedal requires rotation clockwise, as is normally expected for this type of attachment. However, insertion of the left pedal requires rotation counterclockwise. This is to insure that during the process of riding the bike and rotating the pedals, they will not be loosened. Most untrained people are not aware of this fact and the incidence of the threads of the left pedal being stripped during attachment of the left pedal is very high.
Although, this is a very common mistake, assembly of other parts can be equally complex. Reattachment of the handlebars can require a special tool and it is important that the handlebars be straight for proper handling. The rear wheel is particularly difficult because it requires removal of the chain from the gears, and removal of the tire. Once assembled, the derailleur and shift levers must be adjusted to work smoothly, the brakes and brake pads must be adjusted to be positioned on the rim, without touching either the rim or the tire.
A second disadvantage to the transport of a significantly disassembled bicycle is the expense, waste, and mess that result from removal of the wrap required to protect the disassembled parts and keep them from touching or scratching the paint. Wrapping materials require clean-up and removal and are wasteful. This results in an added expense and is damaging to the environment.
Therefore, of interest, is a technique for transporting bicycles in a minimally disassembled state and protecting the bicycle parts while allowing for the least waste and environmental damage.